Antiskid device



Oct. 29, 1957 ANTISKID DEVICE "3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1953 M NTramah/B Z/czn/yarmm IN V EN TOR.

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2,81 l ,2 25 Patented Oct. 29, 1957 ANTISKID DEVICE Truman B. VanNorman, Naperville, Ill. Application September 14, 1953, Serial No.380,018

6 Claims. (Cl. 1885) This invention relates to an antiskid device andmore particularly to an antiskid device for use on vehicles.

It is the general object of the present invention to produce a new andimproved antiskid device.

One of the principal features of the present invention is the provisionof an antiskid device including a member mounted for rotation about anaxis parallel to the fore and aft axis of a vehicle and movable from anelevated position downwardly into contact with the surface over whichthe vehicle is traveling, together with means for retarding the rotationof the member so as to apply a drag when the vehicle is skidding eitherto the right or left.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision in a deviceof the character described in the preceding paragraph of a surface onthe member including means defining a plurality of grips so arranged asto dig into the surface to insure rotation of the member regardless ofthe direction of skid.

An additional feature of the present invention is the provision in adevice of the character described in the preceding paragraph of remotelyoperable brake means for retarding rotation of the member.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparentfrom the following description and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an antiskid device embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view showing a portion of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1 with the antiskid device in raised position;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 3 of the antiskid device in lowered position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the rotatable memberportion of the antiskid device;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view along line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view along line 77 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view along line 88 of Fig. 4.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the presentdisclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principlesof the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to theembodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed outin the appended claims.

A number of various devices have heretofore been suggested for theprevention or reduction of vehicle skidding. One of the difiicultiespreviously encountered with devices of this nature was the tendency ofsuch devices to break upon hitting an obstruction or rough spot in thesurface over which the vehicle is traveling. Thus, for example, shouldthe vehicle be traveling over an ice coated road and commence to skid,prior antiskid devices, when moved into engagement with the surface,were prone to snap off should a rough spot in the ice be encountered.Furthermore, previous antiskid devices, where rotatable members wereemployed, normally provided for rotation about an axis normal to thefore and aft line of the vehicle and were usually constructed andarranged as to apply the greatest counter-skid force when the skid wasat its least, with the force being decreased with increasing magnitudeof skid.

According to the present invention, however, there is provided anantiskid device including ribs or runners arranged to engage the surfaceover which the vehicle is traveling, with such ribs or runners beingsecured to a member mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to thefore and aft line of the vehicle. Thus, when the member is moved intocontact with the surface, the resistance to the skid caused byengagement of the runners with the surface increases with the magnitudeof the skid. Furthermore, inasmuch as the member is rotatable, breakageis prevented inasmuch as should a rough spot in the ice be encounteredthe member may rotate, thus relieving the strain on any runners or ribsengaging the surface. It will, of course, be understood that fore andaft line or axis coincides with the longitudinal axis.

The features and advantages previously referred 'to can be bestunderstood by reference to the accompany ing drawings. Referring now toFig. 1, there is shown a generally cylindrical member 10 mounted on abracket 11 for rotation about an axis parallel to the fore and aft lineof the vehicle to which it is attached. The bracket is movable upwardlyand downwardly in means, generally designated 12, forming a pair ofparallel spaced webs'1 3 and 14. Linkage mechanism 16 interconnects thebracket 11 with a piston and cylinder device 17 for raising and loweringthe bracket. 7

- The means 12 are rigidly secured to crosswise-extending frame members20 of .the vehicle and the webs 13 and 14 include pairs of oppositelyfacing, slanting slots 21 and 22. Slidable in the slots are pins 23 and24 secured to the top side 25 of the bracket 11.

A link 26 is pivotally connected at one end to a vertical side 27 of thebracket and at its other end to one end of a lever arm 28. The lever arm28 is secured intermediate its ends to a rod 29 rotatably mounted in thewebs 13 and 14 and at its other end is pivotally secured to a piston rod30 secured to the piston in the device 17.

Preferably the piston and cylinder device is pneumatically operated andreceives a supply of compressed air through a hose 31. Manually operablemeans may be provided for introducing compressed air under pressure intothe hose 31 to operate the piston and cylinder device, thus to move,through the linkage system just described, the bracket 11 rearwardly (tothe right as seen in Figs. 1 and 2), thus causing the pins 23 and 24 totravel downwardly in the slots 21 and 22 lowering the bracket and hencethe member 10 to a position wherein the member contacts the surface overwhich the vehicle is traveling.

Referring now to Figs. 5-8 inclusive, it will be seen that the member 10includes a metal cylinder 40 closed at its ends by cup-like members 41and 42 each journaled on a rod 43 secured at one end in the side plate27 and at the other end to one side 44 of a U-shaped bracket 45, withthe bracket 45 being secured to the underside of the bracket 11.

Secured to the exterior surface of' the cylinder 40 plurality of ribs 48formed of material similar to the ribs 46.

It Wlll be noted that the first plurality of ribs 46 extends from thenose 47 only a part of the way toward the other end of the member 19while the ribs 48 extend from the ends of the ribs 46 all the way tosaid other end of the member 19. It will also be noted from anexamination of Figs. 6, 7 and 8, that the square rods forming the ribs46 are not secured to the cylinder 40 so as to have a side tangentthereto, but rather are set on a slight angle, while the ribs48 are alsoangularly related to the cylinder 40 but are tilted in the oppositedirection as the ribs 46. The purpose of this arrangement of the ribs isto insure that they will dig into the surface over which the vehicle istraveling when the vehicle is in a skid so as to apply. a definiterotative force to the member 10. Thus, the ribs 46', as shown in Fig. 6,will dig. into the surfaceStlover which the vehicle is traveling whenthe vehicle isskidding to the right as seen in that figure, therebycausing the member 10 to rotate. As the member rotates the nextsucceeding rib 46 is. brought into position: where it then will dig intothe surface causing further rotation of. the member. Should the vehiclebe skidding to'the. left, the ribs 46- would have a tendency merely toslide over the surface Withoutcausing the member 10 to rotate, butinasmuch as the ribs 48 are oppositely angulated relative to the member10, they serve to rotate the member in a skid to the left in thesamemanner as the ribs 46 operate when the vehicle isskidding'totheright. i

It is clear that.if' the, member ltl'were perfectly free to rotate itwould have very little tendency to reduce the amplitude of a skid, andtherefore means are provided for retarding the rotation-of the memberand thus to retard; the skid.

For this purpose there is provided. a brake means which includesanHr-shaped member; (see Fig. having sides 51 and 52 and a crosspiece- 53.Secured to the innerend; of the sides 5l and 52 is a brake disk 54adapted to bear againsttheouter side of the cup-shaped member 42 uponmovement of the H-shaped member to the left, as seen in Fig. 5. Thesides 51 and 52 are slidable in suitable slots formedjin the sides 44and 44a of the bracket 45. A spring 55 is provided for constantly urgingthe H-shaped member to the right, that is in' a direction tending toseparate. the disk 54 from the member 42, and means in the form of a cam56 is provided. for urgingthe member in theopposite direction to bringthe brake disk 54 into braking contactwith the. member 10. The cam 56(see Figs. 4 and 5) is pivoted to a lug 57 secured to'the side 4400f.the bracket 4-5and is provided with an outwardly extending portion 58pivotally secured to a rod 59 secured to the piston in a pneumaticpiston and cylinder device 69. Air may be supplied to the piston andcylinder device 69 through a hose 61 from a source of air underpressure, which source may be the same as that supplying the piston andcylinderdevice' 17 and operated simultaneously therewith.

With the device of the present invention mounted on a, vehicle in themanner described,- should the vehicle begin to skid, the operator of thevehicle may actuate a manual lever sons to cause air under pressure tobe introduced into the piston and cylinder devices 17 and 60. Actuationof the piston and cylinder device 17, through thelinkage system 16,causes thebracket 11 to move rearwardly and thus downwardly to bring theribs 46 and 48; of the member into contact with the surface over whichthe vehicle is traveling.

crates to move the rod 59 downwardly and thus move the.v H-shapedmembertoward the member, 10 to bring the brake disk 54 into firm contact withthe cup member' As theribs 46 and. 48' contact the surface over which ofskid, thus exerting a retarding effect on the skid and tending tostraighten the vehicle on its proper course. Should the runners or ribsmeet with an obstruction which would otherwise tend to snap them off themember 10, the force of the meeting with the obstruction will besufficient to overcome the resistance of the brake means described, thuspermitting the member 10 to rotate, absorbing the shock and preventingdamage to the device. Besides preventing damage to the device, the factthat the device may rotate tends to hold the car more firmly on the roadinasmuch as the meeting with an obstruction merely causes the device torotate without lifting the rear end of the car or lifting the device outof contact with the surface.

When the skid has been overcome reactuation of the manual valve meansserves to introduce air under pressure into the opposite ends of thepiston and cylinder devices 17 and 60 so as to release the brake andsimultaneously raise the bracket 11 into the position shown in Figs. 1and 3, in which position the device does not interfere with the normaloperation of the vehicle. If desired, however, the device may be left incontact with the surface over which the vehicle is traveling, shouldsuch surface be dangerously icy, and if so operated acts to aid inpreventing a skid from initiating and of course reacts immediately toreduce the magnitude of any skid.

I claim:

1. An antiskid device for vehicles comprising a bracket, means forsecuring said bracket to the frame of the vehicle for movement upwardlyand downwardly relative thereto, a generally cylindrical member mountedon the rotationand said second-plurality of ribs each having edgeportions arranged to dig into said surface when the vehicle is skiddingin the other direction and thereby to urge the member toward rotation,motor means mounted a 65 Simultaneously with 1 depression of the bracket11 the piston and cylinder device 60, which is also attached to thebracket 11, op-- in an'elevatedposition on' the frame of the vehicle forlowering the bracket from an elevated position to bring said ribs intocontact with said surface, and brake means for resisting rotation of thecylindrical member 2. An antiskid device for vehicles comprising abracket,

means securedto the frame of the vehicle and forming.

a pair of parallel spaced webs having slanting slots there in, means forsupporting the bracket between the webs including means engaging saidslots, algenerally cylindrical member mounted on the bracket forrotation about an axis parallel to the fore and aft line or the vehicle,

said memberhaving an outer portion formed of a first.

and a second plurality of ribs extending longitudinally of the member,said first plurality of ribs each having.

tion to bring said ribs-into contact with said surface, and

brake means for resisting rotation-of themember.

cal member mounted on thebracketfor rotation about an axis parallel tothe fore and aft line of the vehicle, said member having an outerportion formed of a first and a second plurality of ribs extendinglongitudinally of the member, said first plurality of ribs each havingedge portions arranged to dig into the surface over which the vehicle istraveling when the vehicle is skidding in one direction and thereby tourge the member toward rotation and said second plurality of ribs eachhaving edge portions arranged to dig into said surface when the vehicleis skidding in the other direction and thereby to urge the member towardrotation, brake means for resisting rotation of the member, a piston andcylinder device, and means connecting the piston and cylinder device tothe bracket and operable to move the bracket longitudinally of the websupon actuation of said piston and cylinder device whereby saidsupporting means lowers the bracket from an elevated position to bringsaid ribs into contact with said surface.

4. An antiskid device for vehicles comprising a bracket, means securedto the frame of the vehicle and forming a pair of parallel spaced webshaving slanting slots therein, means for supporting the bracket betweenthe webs including means engaging said slots, a generally cylindricalmember mounted on the bracket for rotation about an axis parallel to thefore and aft line of the vehicle, said member having an outer portionformed of a first and a second plurality of ribs extendinglongitudinally of the member, said first plurality of ribs each havingedge portions arranged to dig into the surface over which the vehicle istraveling when the vehicle is skidding in one direction and thereby tourge the member toward rotation and said second plurality of ribs eachhaving edge portions arranged to dig into said surface when the vehicleis skidding in the other direction and thereby to urge the member towardrotation, brake means for resisting rotation of the member, a firstpiston and cylinder device for operating the brake means, a secondpiston and cylinder device, and means connecting said second piston andcylinder device to the bracket and operable to move the bracketlongitudinally of the webs upon actuation of said second piston andcylinder device whereby said supporting means lowers the bracket from anelevated position to bring said ribs into contact with said surface.

5. An antiskid device for vehicles comprising a bracket, means forsecuring said bracket to the frame of the vehicle for movement upwardlyand downwardly relative thereto, .a generally cylindrical member mountedon the bracket for rotation about an axis parallel to the fore" and aftline of the vehicle, said member having an outer portion formed of afirst and a second plurality of ribs extending longitudinally of themember, said first plurality of ribs converging toward each other at oneend of the member to form a pointed nose thereat, said first pluralityof ribs extending from said end only a part of the distance toward theother end of the member with each of said first plurality of ribs havingedge portions arranged to dig into the surface over which the vehicle istraveling when the vehicle is skidding in one direc- 'tion and therebyto urge the member toward rotation and said second plurality of ribsextending from the end of the ribs of the first plurality to said otherend of the member and each having edge portions arranged to dig intosaid surface when the vehicle is skidding in the other direction andthereby to urge the member toward rotation, means for lowering thebracket from an elevated position to bring said ribs into contact withsaid surface, and brake means for resisting rotation of the member.

6. An antiskid device for vehicles comprising a bracket, means securedto the frame of the vehicle and forming a pair of parallel spaced webshaving slanting slots therein, means for supporting the bracket betweenthe webs including means engaging said slots, a generally cylindricalmember mounted on the bracket for rotation about anaxis parallel to thefore and aft line of the vehicle, brake means for resisting rotation ofthe member, a piston and cylinder device, and means connecting thepiston and cylinder device to the bracket and operable to move thebracket longitudinally of the webs upon actuation of said piston andcylinder device whereby said supporting means lowers the bracket from anelevated position to bring said ribs into contact with said surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,083,63-1- Ballard June 15, 1937 2,650,679 Durkin Sept. 1, 1953 FOREIGNPATENTS 7,687 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1908

